Harry Potter and the Beijing Hallows

Photos

Well last Tuesday was the worst (pollution) day I've had in Beijing so far. It was so hot it was nearly unbearable and the pollution index was the worst for my three weeks here. Levels go from 1 - 5: Level 1 is baseline pollution essentially, Level 5 is carcinogenic so don't go outside. The G have declared they don't want Beijing to get above Level 2 (which isn't great) but this was Level 3 and buildings a 100m away were fuzzy through the photochemical smog. Nice.

The wee hours of Wednesday morning thankfully saw a storm hit and clean it all away. And Thursday made up for it, being the best day in Beijing I've had with almost clean air and gorgeous blue skies.

While wondering the city I found lots of funky shops in an area called Nanlugu Xiang. I nearly bought this beautiful hand-made Chinese quilt, except I didn't have enough money on me at the time (my new cunning ploy to not buy stuff. Don't carry too much money). There was also a Laos lamp in another shop I might have to go back for too... oh, it's so easy to spend in China. But, hey, I do need to furnish and beautify my house. As my friend pointed out, I'll be all out of excuses when I actually finish decorating to which I slyly replied, does one actually ever really FINISH decorating a house? I say no!

On Saturday, Annie came over after it all to help me find my water delivery man, get my bike (named 'Guava') fixed, and set up DVD player menu to English. I naturally took her to lunch so we tried out one of the many restaurants in my hutong, and afterwards we pottered around the central shopping area, buying big maps of China to put on our walls, and sampling more of China's wares.

Later that day to allow the crowds to ease, I went to to the Wangfujing Bookshop to get the new HARRY POTTER! Yes, they do sell it here for the fairly reasonable sun of Y187 (AUS$30) but I did see it at the Foreign Languages Bookstore (which is actually a really great bookstore) for the more hefty sum of Y280 (AUS$45). But that wasn't stopping anyone, just as publishers knew it wouldn't when they set the price, rubbing their hands with glee. I have finished it so if anyone wants to discuss, let the fingers fly across your keyboard!

Sunday was a shopping day, we went back to Panjiayuan Markets (the absolutely enormous market I went to last week). I was looking for paintings/prints or wall hangings to cover my shoddy walls, and I really loved some of them but was a little tired so didn't really get in the mood to ask and buy. I will definitely go back again when I'm more energised though. More shopping at a multi-storey clothes/wares/electronics market where I also successfully not to not buy anything, and was almost home and clear when I just stopped to look at a little clothing store I have often admired but have never gone into. Well, the girl was quite the salesperson, I found one pair of shorts that looked like it would fit me and every time I came out the changing room with something on, the girl was right there with another thing for me to try on. And she was very good, all but one did fit me! When she started to also give me tops to try, I really had to insist "gou le!" (done, finished!). But, at least now I have enough clothes to get through a whole week without having to do a load of laundry. Handy, as I can't actually use my washing machine until I find 4 screws for it. My kingdom for a Bunnings.

This week I braved the traffic and now bike to work! I wore my helmet, everyone stared, but my theory is that if everyone is staring at me then at least they SEE me and so won't hit me. I am considering wearing a face mask too for the pollution to really stand out then though I may cause accidents as everyone turns and stares, I won't be in the accidents. Safety first! The rest of the week has been so far uneventful, though I'm not feeling so hot. There's a lot of people with Summer Colds as they call it here, but I am mostly fine really except for my throat which is made worse by the ambient deadly pollution. Am I frightening any of you yet?